Alleged iPhone 5 SIM card tray seemingly confirms use of nano SIM

Something that is pretty certain about the next iPhone iteration is that the device will use a nano-SIM card. As the name implies, the new module is smaller than its predecessor – the micro-SIM card, and therefore occupies less space inside the smartphone. As a result, engineers will have additional room to fit more components inside the handset, such as more integrated circuits or antennas.

Now thanks to a French blog called Nowhere Else, we have a better idea as to what the nano-SIM card tray of the iPhone 5 (or "the new iPhone", perhaps) will look like. The component, if legit, shows that its design remains mostly unchanged, except for the smaller form factor. That said, getting the SIM card out will require the use of a paper clip, or a similar tool that can release the mechanism holding the tray in place.

Besides the use of the nano-SIM card standard, developed by Apple itself, the next iPhone is expected to come with a bigger, 4-inch display. The unit itself is said to be even slimmer than its predecessor. Whether any of those rumors are true or not will be known in a few months, once the device is officially announced. If rumors are to be trusted, that might happen no later than September 12.

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While the stated reason might be for the additional space savings, is it really that much more extra space compared to a micro sim? I just have a feeling they are doing it to explicitly make it more difficult for users to swap a single sim between devices.

You'd be surprised how much space a full size SIM slot and SD card slot takes up in an electronic item. The slot may look small and slim but the main connectors/ housing inside the phone are quite large. The microSD and microSIM take up less space allowing for more efficient use of phone real estate

I agree a full size SIM slot takes up a lot of space, but I am comparing Apples current Micro-SIM to the proposed Nano-SIM standard that they are going to use. The size difference between those two is literally millimeters.

10.JessJess (unregistered)

"I just have a feeling they are doing it to explicitly make it more difficult for users to swap a single sim between devices."

To what end and for what purpose? Making the SIM smaller is good! Smaller the better really. Why should we care? If I want a new SIM I just call my provider and they send me one (and deactivate my old one). I don't think it's common for a person to hot swap sims between devices constantly....

Agreed micro sim is almost becoming the norm now and apple don't want ifans under their control to have the ability to put their sims in any other phone than the iPhone. The hassle the initial use of micro sim by apple in the iPhone 4 caused was very high,especially when so many handsets had to be sent for DOA testing and repairs for dropping calls. The amount of sim changes down over these doas etc witnessed in store was unprecedented

Apple simply want a sim card for iPhone only and no other phone,its like it or lump it for ifans,if your iPhone doesn't work apple simply want you to get another iphone for u to make calls. God forbid apple customers might get the experience of using their sim in an s3 or similar,apple fear that. Blatant refusal to use the EU legal requirement of a micro USB charger is along similar lines to this from apple

Seriously, and people wonder why I hate Apple. I mean it's okay to have your own eco-system somewhat, look at Samsung, Sony and HTC, sure they're all Android manufacturers, but each have a different ecosystem, Samsung has Samsung account which is used for DIVE, HTC has Sense & Sony (I'm not sure what it is, but I'm sure they have their own). However, parts like microUSB cables, SIM cards, SD cards are all compatible with one another.

Why does Apple have to be so stupidly different and anti-competitive? Using a weird easily damaged large port for cables, making all accessories incompatible with anything else but their own, and when they adopted MicroSim, no one complained and slowly adapted to it, and just when everyone has made it a standard, they f**king use a nanoSim so that it's difficult to switch between devices...and to top that off, if they're going to change the port connector, why not MicroUSB instead of another Apple-exclusive port? Is it faster? Obviously not...Seriously, go to hell Apple.

Seriously, What can 1cm do for the new iPhone? Add an extra GB of RAM? What's the point? What I'm mad about is not that Apple is charging royalties or some crap like that, what I'm pissed about is that they just change the standard as and when they like like they own the friggin smartphone market. A standard should be something everyone or at least majority has adapted to, MicroSIM is, NanoSIM is not and now we're back to 2010 when the iPhone 4 was the only phone with MicroSIM.

1) It doesn't benefit me as a consumer in anyway since I will never use an Apple product (My overpriced Nano will be my first and last Apple product) and

2) Not only does it not benefit me, I'll be missing out because Apple keeps everything within their closed walls. "Oh, you wanna buy that cool speaker dock? Too bad, you'll have to buy an iPhone just so you can use it."

Oh yes, the one time I didn't know something and you did totally outweighs all the times you were dumb and stupid, good job...Oh btw, just to complete your whole "I'm so smart & right" front, how about showing a source?

You are a puppet in a master's show....in need of awaking....You represent what apple is doing to this entire world.........Unity is bad if you're on the wrong side my friend....... wake up man... wake up

I agree with taco here. Everyone is going to NanoSIM (which is a bit quick, as only LTE phones and iPhones use the micro to my knowledge), and apple's design won out (I like Nokia's better).
That said, your statement about accessories is spot on. There was an almost universal agreement between OEMs to use MicroUSB as as the charging and data standard for phones for the time being, but apple stubbornly continues to use and implement its own proprietary designs. It's selfish and creates a negative experience for.the customer

As I recall, I preferred their notch layout which eased installation and removal, and that it could have been implemented without a tray, saving room and a minuscule amount of weight depending on implementation. I don't have access to the designs right now, but I'll find them after work and try to update my stated rationale

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